Books on procrastination: Pick one up today, so tomorrow doesn't get wasted
Procrastination usually isn't about being lazy. You see evidence of this in studies and random social threads, where people say it comes from decision fatigue or even childhood trauma. The good news is that experts have written entire libraries on how to break this cycle. Our list of 20 books on procrastination looks at the problem from different angles:
We know, you don't want fluffy inspiration when you're trying to stop procrastinating. You want real tricks you can use right away. Take 'The Now Habit' by Neil Fiore. College students who used its tips swear that scheduling guilt-free playtime actually helped them finish work earlier. Strangely enough, it works because it stops your brain from fighting breaks.
You also see how Piers Steel's 'The Procrastination Equation' uses research to explain why deadlines force action. His data shows that most people only start serious work when the cost of delay outweighs the effort. You probably know that feeling quite well when you become a productivity machine at the last minute.
And you don't have to read cover to cover. Instead of vague "be productive" talk, these books often give you quick moves like:
Break a task into 5-minute chunks
Write the next step on a sticky note, not the whole project
Reward yourself after small wins, not just at the finish
Inside the Headway app, each title is distilled into a 10 or 15-minute audio or text summary, so you can quickly absorb proven tactics. Instead of waiting for physical books to arrive, you can open Headway now and start applying strategies.
The best books on procrastination: Read them faster with Headway
When you start looking up the best books on procrastination, it's easy to hit the same wall. You can't decide which one to pick, so you tell yourself you'll get to it later. That's where Headway helps you skip the overthinking, because you can grab the key ideas in minutes and put them to work right away.
We've handpicked twenty bestselling nonfiction titles, from Brian Tracy's classic 'Eat That Frog!' to Oliver Burkeman's philosophical 'Four Thousand Weeks', and transformed each into bite-sized lessons you can finish on your break. Here's what Headway offers:
Short summaries: Each book summary runs about ten minutes, so you can learn while waiting in line.
Clear recommendations: Ratings highlight what works best for beating procrastination.
Actionable takeaways: Main ideas organized as action points you can apply today.
Imagine listening to Nir Eyal's 'Indistractable' while making breakfast, then tackling your hardest task with ease. Or sampling several titles in one afternoon to decide which full book deserves a deep read.
With Headway, you can listen to 'Eat That Frog' and test the "do the hardest task" trick. The title sounds odd, but the idea works: take on the ugliest task first. People say it feels awful for the first ten minutes, but the relief afterward powers the rest of the day. And if you can't sit through long reads, try listening to Headway while cooking dinner or walking your dog.
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